Electrical candle display



29, 1931. s. BEECHER 1,338,734

ELECTRICAL CANDLE DISPLAY Filed June 30, 1931 f V T: .9.

4 7 7 L. X I I \7 0 Ai V r W fwfiifl Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITE,

SAMUEL IBEECHER, OF NEW TON, MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRICAL CANDLE DISPLAY Application filed June so,

This invention relates to electrical candle displays or so-called candelabra of the type placed for decorative purposes on windowsills, especially during the Christmas season. These displays usually consist of a base adapted to be supported on the sill and containing a row of upstanding candle-simulating elements terminating in torch-shaped. electric bulbs which when illuminated bear a resemblance to lighted candles.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a unitary display of simple construction which can be accommodated b window-sills of difierent lengths and widths. I am using'the term length herein as connoting the long dimension of the sill and corresponding to the width of the window, and the term width as defining the short dimension or depth of the sill. In brief, my display is made up of three sections and includes a central section to which is hingedly secured the two end-sections in such a way that the three sections may be kept in tandem or end-to-end relationship as a display of maximum length, or'the two end-sections swung away, as desired, from the central section to an extreme position affording a display of minimum length.

With the foregoing and other features and objects in view, I shall now describe my invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates in perspective a candle display embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the display mounted on a a support with the end-sections swung to extreme side-by-side relationship with the cen tral section.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the mounting on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents in plan view another possible mounting of the display on a short and narrow window-sill.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4:- a

Referring in detail to the drawings, the base for the display is preferably of rectangular form and is made up of a central section 1 and two end-sections 2, all made of wood or other suitable material and capable 1931; seriainateasss. art;

of resting on a window-sill or other flat support. Each end-section is hingedly secured by a suitable hinge member 3 to the central section, withthe pintle 4 of the hinge located substantially where a corner edge of the endsection and a corner edge of the central section coincide. This makes it possible for each end-section to occupy two desirable extreme positions, one being in end-to-end rela-r' tionship, and the other being in side-by-side relationship with the central section. The two end-sections are preferably of equal 3 length and of a combined length preferably not in excess of the length of the central sec-' tion, whereby they can both be swung simultaneously in side-by-side relationship with the central section to produce a rectangular base of minimum length, as shown in Figure 3. Affixed in upstanding position'in the base? i" is a row of tubular elements 5, which may be constructed to simulate candles in a wellknown manner. Thus, they may be coated with white enamel or other suitable material and be socketed at their upper ends for the reception of electric bulbs 6, preferably of a torch shape so as to simulate candle flames when illuminated. The bulbsmay be connected in series in the usual manner, with the wiring 7 leading to the successive sockets through the tubes and running through a channel or bore 8 formed longitudinally through allthe sections of the base, sufficient slack being left in the wiring treme tandem arrangement indicated as belng possible in Figure 1 to an extremesideby-side relationship with the central section, best shown in Figure 3. It is preferable that the tubes 5 progressively increase in height its ends. The arrangement of Figure 2 may to permit the V end-sections to be swung freely from an ex be employed, especially in the case of short window-sills which cannot accommodate a tandem arrangement of the sections, although it may, of course, also be used in the case of long window-sills. lVhile the display is shown as having eight candle-simulating elements in all, with the end-sections each carrying two elements to produce a symmetrical or balanced effect, it is obvious that a greater or fewer number of elements might be used, if desired.

It is, of course, possible to have a number of other arrangements intermediate a tandem and a side-by-side relationship of the sections. Thus, where awindow sill is of insufficient length and width to permit support of the display as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the display may be supported as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, where the endsections 2 are turned substantially at right angles to the central section 1 and rest on the sill 9 while the central section is off the sill and so must be independently supported in order to avoid toppling of the display. Such support for the central section may easily be had by a suitable bracket 10 which, as shown, consists of a strip of metal having a horizontal supporting arm 11 for the central section, and which takes a downward turn near the sill edge 12 and terminates under the windowsill, whereat it may be anchored to the sill by suitable fastening means, such as the screws 13.

I am aware of the fact that it has been proposed to construct candelabras which can be adjusted to meet the requirements of window frames of different sizes, but the construction of the present invention possesses the merit of simplicity, compactness, and ease of adjustment in meeting various requirements.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a substantially rectangular base made up of at least three adjacent longitudinal sections, candle-simulating elements fixed in upstanding position in all of said sections, and a pair of hinge members by which said end-sections are secured to the adjacent section, the pintlc of each of said hinge members being located substantially at the line of coincidence between a corner edge of each endsection and a corner edge of said adjacent section, whereby said end-sections may be swung away freely from a tandem arrangement of said sections and thus permit said device to be mounted on windowsills of various lengths.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a substantially rectangular base made up of three adjacent longitudinal sections, candle-simulating elements terminating in electric bulbs fixed in upstanding position in all of said sections and of progressively increasing height from the ends to the nature.

SAMUEL BEECHER.

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